Gate.



H L. .COATS. GATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 19M.

Patented June 22, 1915.

THE NOR RIS PETERS CO, PHnTo-LITMQ, WASHINGTON, D. c

HENRY I4. COATS, 0F MOSCOW, IDAHO.

GATE.

niiarzao.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed April 8, 1914. Serial No. 830,452.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY L. CoATs, citizen of the United States, residing at Moscow, in the county of Latah and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gate operating devices, more particularly to the class of large farm and similar gates which are operative from a distance by a person from a vehicle or from horseback vithout alighting, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and in crease the efliciency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed device which is partly automatic both in opening and clos- 111g.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claim; and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the improved apparatus. Figs. 3 and 4: are enlarged details of the traveler devices.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indi cated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The supporting frame comprises posts 10-11 erected at opposite sides of the gateway opening and provided with a connecting head member 12, the posts 1011 being high enough to permit the head member to be located a suflicient distance from the ground to enable teams to pass'beneath it without interference. The posts 10-11 may be disposed at any distance apart and the head member 12 disposed at any height according to circumstances without departing from the principle of the invention. A third post 13 is located at one side of the post 11 and connected to the latter by a head member 14. The post 13 and the head 14 correspond in height substantially to the gate, the head member 14 being preferably halved into the post 11, as shown at 15. The

three posts and the two head members are thus firmly united and supported in position.

The head member 12 is provided with a track represented as a whole at 16, while the head member 14 is provided with a similar track represented conventionally at 17. The tracks 16-17 are formed inclined in opposite directions from the center or bowed upwardly, as shown.

The gate may be of any of the ordinary forms but should include vertical members 1819 and an intermediate vertical member 20, and a conventional gate is shown which includes these features and likewise with horizontal bars 21 and braces 22. While a gate of this character is shown for illustration, it will be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to any specific form of gate as the improved device is applicable to any of the various forms of gates by making slight and unimportant modifications in the construction. If a gate having wire members is employed the frame should include an intermediate vertical member to receive the flexible operating member, as hereinafter explained. The terminal member 19 is extended upwardly as represented at 23 and is provided with a suspension bracket 24 carrying a roller 25 which engages upon the track 16. The member 2425 thus forms a traveler upon the track and thereby carries the outer end of the gate. The hanger 24: may be of any suitable construction, but will preferably be so constructed that it will not run oif from the track, or what is commonly known as the cant-come-oif kind. A similar hanger, indicated at 26, is connected to the member 18 and carries a roller 27 which operates upon the track 17 in the same manner as the hanger 24 and its wheel 25 operates in connection with the track 16.

The tracks 1617 are precisely alike, or with their inclines of the same degree, so that when the gate 21 with its attachments is moved, for instance from closed into open position, transversely of the gateway opening, the rollers running upon the adjacent inclined portions of the track will elevate the gate until the rollers arrive at about the center of the tracks, and then as the gate continues into its open position the rollers will travel down the second inclined portion of the track and depress the gate. By this means to open the gate it is only necessary to move the gate about one-half of its distance when the gate will be automatically moved for the remainder of the distance into open position by gravity as will be obvious. In closing the gate the same action takes place in reverse order. Thus, it is only necessaryto move the gate either into closed or open position about one-half ofit-he distance across the gateway opening, when the remainder of the movement will be automatically accomplished.

The tracks may be set at any desired pitch or inclination, but generally 1 in will be employed, or the pitch may be different at each side of the peak of the track, for instance 1 in 20 at one side, and l in or at the other side, but these proportions may be varied as required. If, after the gate is set up, it is found to run too fast or too slow, the pitch of the tracks may be altered to any extent by releasing the sup ports for the tracks and setting them at a higher or lower point upon the head members 12 and 14, as will beobvious.

The post 11 is provided witha vertical slot 29 and extending through this slot at its upper end is a supporting beam 30 having downwardly directed brackets 3132 at its ends. The beam member 30 is sup ported at suitable intervals by standards 3334. A vertical guide member 35 is spaced from the post 11 at theopposite side of the gate, and is provided with a slot indicated at ll similar to the slot 29 of the post 11. Pivoted at '36 in the bracket 31 is a lever 37, While a similar lever '38 is pivoted at 39 in the bracket 32. The lever 38 extends at one end through the slot ofthe post 11 and terminates above the gate, while the confronting end of the lever 37 extends through the slot of the post 35 and terminates in relatively close proximity to the confronting end of the lever 38. The levers 37-38 are coupled at 450 to the gate by chains or similar flexible devices 41, the connecting device 40 being preferably located about centrally of the gate and extending through the central vertical member 20, as shown in Fig. 2. The flexible member 41 is thus connectedto the vertical and "back approaching from either side.

longitudinal center of the gate. Guides 45 46 are located adjacent to the posts 11 and '35 to prevent undue lateral movement of 38 will be of sufiicient length so that the pull members 4243 are in convenient position for a person in a vehicle or on horsey this simple arrangement it will be obvious that as a person approaches a gate he pulls domiwardly upon the member 42 or 13, as

the case may be, with the result of causing the chains 41 to pull the gate toward the levers 3738, and at the same time exerting an upward pulling force on the gate and causing the travelers to move upwardly upon the adjacent inclined portions of the tracks 1617 until the gate reaches their central positions when the travelers will move down the other inclined portions of the tracks and complete the movement automatically by gravity as before described.

After the occupant of the vehicle passes through the gateway opening he pulls downwardly upon the other member 4-2 or 4-3 as the case may be, with the result of causing the gate to close by the same movements, in reverse order, as before described.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufactured andofany required size and any suitable material,

Having thus described the invention, what isclaimed is:

In a gate apparatus,- a supporting frame including head members, coacting tracks carried by said :members, each of said tracks including oppositely inclined portions adjustable independently of each other vertically of the adjacent head member, a gate having travelers respectively engaging said tracks, and means for operating the gate to slide upon said tracks.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY L. GOA TS.

Witnesses:

S. B. H. MoGowAN, EMMA JUNGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtaineii for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtom l). G. 

